Elections are scheduled to be held in Turkey in May, and opposition parties have united against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the main secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has been chosen to lead the opposition coalition against Erdogan.
Erdogan has been in power for the past two decades, and the upcoming election is expected to be a tough one for him. Under Erdogan’s government, Turkey raised the issue of Kashmir in the United Nations and supported Pakistan even after India’s Operation Dost.
Last month’s earthquake could also have a significant impact on the election, as people’s resentment towards Erdogan has increased due to his handling of the disaster. Whenever Erdogan visited earthquake-affected areas, people protested against him.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, also known as the ‘Gandhi of Turkey,’ is a former civil servant who has been advocating for civil rights, social justice, and democracy in Turkey. He has promised to rule Turkey with the opinion of the people and to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to the country. He has also pledged to take the country back to a parliamentary system, which Erdogan changed to a presidential system in 2018.
Kamal has been trying to strike a balance by wooing minority groups and forging alliances with right-wing parties. More than 45,000 people have died in the February earthquake, and Kemal has criticized Erdogan’s government for allowing the construction of poorly-built buildings due to corruption.